Water Resources

Engineering
 01

BOUNDARY SHEAR STRESS

 Mean boundary shear stress

Water is impelled downstream by the force of gravity acting against the opposing frictional force or shear stress
exerted against it by the boundary. If the flow is uniform, velocity does not change downstream and one may
conclude from Newton's first law of motion (a body will continue to move with constant velocity in a straight line
unless acted on by some net force) that the impelling and resisting forces must be in balance. These conditions
allow a formulation of the boundary shear stress, τo (the subscript o denotes 'at the boundary'). The relevant forces
are (see Figure 4.1 for further definition of terms):
Definition diagram for derivation of the mean shear-stress formula

Impelling force (Ws) = downslope component of the total weight of water,

Ws = W sine θ = ρgAL sine θ...............................................(4.1)

Resisting force (Fo) = boundary shear stress x total bed area

Fo = τo PL ......................................................(4.2)

If Ws = Fo,

ρgAL sine θ = τo PL ...................................................(4.3)

or τo = ρg (A/P) sine θ ................................................(4.4)

The ratio A/P is known as the hydraulic radius, Rh (m). Making this substitution in equation (4.4), and noting that sine
θ = tan θ = slope, s, for small values of θ (< 5o), and that ρg = γ, we can write:

τo = γRhs ≅ γds ..............................................(4.5)

This defines the mean boundary shear stress and often is simply referred to as the 'depth-slope product' because it
turns out that this expression can be simplified further in application because the hydraulic radius normally is
approximated by the mean depth (d) of the channel in most rivers.
 Specific Weight of Water
Temperature (oC) Specific Weight Temperatur Specific Temperatur Specific
(kN/m3) e (oF) Weight e (oF) Weight
(lbf/ft3) (lbf/ft3)
0 9.805
32 62.42 140 61.38
5 9.807
40 62.43 150 61.20
10 9.804
50 62.41 160 61.00
15 9.798
60 62.37 170 60.80
20 9.789
70 62.30 180 60.58
25 9.777
80 62.22 190 60.36
30 9.765
90 62.11 200 60.12
40 9.731
100 62.00 212 59.83
50 9.690 110 61.86
60 9.642 120 61.71
70 9.589 130 61.55
80 9.530
90 9.467
100 9.399
 Sample Problem

A 2.00 m-deep uniform flow discharges through a 100.00 m-wide rectangular channel at a slope of 0.001 (1.000 m drop
for every horizontal km). If the water temperature is 10oC, calculate the mean shear stress;
(a) based on the hydraulic radius.
(b) based on the mean flow depth.

Solution:
((b)
(a) InThe
this corresponding calculation
rectangular channel, Rh = A/Pusing thexmean
= 2.00 100.00/depth
( 2.00y+100.00
rather +than Rh,
2.00) yields:
= 1.92 m τo = γ y
s = 9.80410xo2.00
C = 9.804 kN/m
x 0.001 3
= 19.6 = 20 kN/m2
τo= γRhs = 9.804 x 1.92 x 0.001 = 18.8 = 19 kN/m2. or 19 kPa
 02

CHANNEL SLOPE
 Channel Slope

A steady non-uniform flow in a prismatic channel with gradual changes in its watersurface elevation is
named as gradually-varied flow (GVF). The backwater produced by a dam or weir across a river and
drawdown produced at a sudden drop in a channel are few typical examples of GVF. In a GVF, the velocity
varies along the channel and consequently the bed slope, water surface slope, and energy line slope will all
differ from each other.
 Classification of Flow Surface Profiles

For a given channel with a known Q = Discharge, n = Manning coefficient, and S0 = Channel bed slope,
yc = critical water depth and y0 = Uniform flow depth can be computed.
There are three possible relations between y0 and yc as
1. y0 > yc ,
2. y0 < yc ,
3. y0 = yc .
For horizontal (S0 = 0), and adverse slope ( S0 < 0) channels,

Horizontal channel, S0 = 0→ Q = 0,
Adverse channel , S0 < 0 , Q cannot be computed,
For horizontal and adverse slope channels, uniform flow depth yo does not exist.
 Based on the information given, the channels are classified into five categories as indicated

Sustainable
Slopes

Non Sustainable
Slopes

For each of the five categories of channels, lines representing the critical depth (yc ) and normal depth
(y0 ) (if it exists) can be drawn in the longitudinal section.
Gradually Varied Flow profiles
 Classification of Flow Surface Profiles

Critical depth (yc) is the normal depth at critical flow condition for a given flow rate in a given channel (i.e.
given channel bottom slope, Manning roughness, and shape & size).

B
B B
 Water Surface Profiles

• M – Curves
a) M1 – Curve ---- Water surface will be in Region 1 for a mild slope channel and
the flow is obviously subcritical. The most common of all GVF profiles is the M1
type, which is a subcritical flow condition. Obstructions to flow, such as weirs, dams,
control structures and natural features, such as bends, produce M1 backwater
curves. These extend to several kilometers upstream before merging with the
normal depth.

b) M2 – Curve ---- Water surface will be in Region 2 for a mild slope channel and
the flow is obviously subcritical. The M2 profiles occur at a sudden drop of the
channel, at constriction type of transitions and at the canal outlet into pools

c) M3 – Curve ---- Water surface will be in Region 3 for a mild slope channel and
the flow is obviously subcritical. Where a supercritical stream enters a mild slope
channel, M3 type of profile occurs. The flow leading from a spillway or a sluice gate
to a mild slope forms a typical example. The beginning of the M3 curve is usually
followed by a small stretch of rapidly varied flow and the downstream is generally
terminated by a hydraulic jump. Compared to M1 and M2 profiles, M3 curves are of
relatively short length.
 Sample Problem
A rectangular channel with a bottom width of 4.0 m and a bottom slope of 0.0008 has a discharge of 1.50 m3/sec. In a
gradually varied flow in this channel, the depth at a certain location is found to be 0.30 m. assuming n = 0.016,
determine the type of GVF profile.
SOLUTION:
 Water Surface Profiles

• S – Curves
a) S1 – Curve ---- Water surface will be in Region 1 for a steep slope channel and
the flow is obviously supercritical. The S1 profile is produced when the flow from a
steep channel is terminated by a deep pool created by an obstruction, such as a
weir or dam. At the beginning of the curve, the flow changes from the normal depth
(supercritical flow) to subcritical flow through a hydraulic jump. The profiles extend
downstream with a positive water slope to reach a horizontal asymptote at the pool
elevation

b) S2 – Curve ---- Water surface will be in Region 2 for a steep slope channel and
the flow is supercritical. Profiles of the S2 type occur at the entrance region of a
steep channel leading from a reservoir and at a brake of grade from mild slopes to
steep slope. Generally S2 profiles are short of length.

c) S3 – Curve ---- Free flow from a sluice gate with a steep slope on its
downstream is of the S3 type. The S3 curve also results when a flow exists from a
steeper slope to a less steep slope .
 Water Surface Profiles

• C – Curves
a) C1 – Curve ---- Water surface will be in Region 1 for a critical slope channel.

Since the flow is at critical stage, y0 = yc, there is no Region 2.

C1 and C3 profiles are very rare and highly unstable

 Water Surface Profiles

• H – Curves
For horizontal slope channels, uniform flow depth y0 does not exist.
Critical water depth can be computed for a given discharge Q and
therefore critical water depth line can be drawn. Since there is no
uniform water depth y0, Region 1 does not exist.

a) H2 – Curve ---- Water surface will be in Region 2 for a horizontal slope channel.
The water surface meets the critical depth line vertically.

b) H3 – Curve ---- A horizontal channel can be considered as the lower limit

reached by a mild slope as its bed slope becomes flatter. The water surface meets
the critical depth line vertically. The H2 and H3 profiles are similar to M2 and M3
profiles respectively . However, the H2 curve has a horizontal asymptote.
 Water Surface Profiles

• A – Curves
For adverse slope channels, uniform flow depth y0 does not exist.
Critical water depth can be computed for a given discharge Q and
therefore critical water depth line can be drawn. Since there is no
uniform water depth y0, Region 1 does not exist as well as in A curves.
A2 and A3 curves are similar to H2 and H3 curves respectively.

Adverse slopes are rather rare. These profiles are of very short length.
 Water Surface Profiles

• Control Sections

A control section is defined as a section in which a fixed relationship exists between the discharge and
depth of flow. Weirs, spillways, sluice gates are some typical examples of structures which give rise to
control sections. The critical depth is also a control point. However, it is effective in a flow profile which
changes from subcritical to supercritical flow. In the reverse case of transition from supercritical flow to
subcritical flow, a hydraulic jump is usually formed bypassing the critical depth as a control point. Any
GVF profile will have at least one control section.
Triangular Channel

A= y²z
P= 2[y²(1+z²)]½
B= 2yz
 Sample Problem
A trapezoidal channel has three reaches 1, 2, and 3 connected in series with the following physical characteristics

For a discharge Q = 22.5 m3/sec through this channel, sketch the resulting water surface profiles. The length of the
reaches can be assumed to be sufficiently long for the GVF profiles to develop fully.
2019
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